Gas turbine engines (GTEs) produce power by extracting energy from a flow of hot gas produced by combustion of fuel in a stream of compressed air. In general, GTEs have an upstream air compressor coupled to a downstream turbine with a combustion chamber (combustor) in between. Energy is produced when a mixture of compressed air and fuel is burned in the combustor, and the resulting hot gases are used to spin blades of a turbine. In typical GTEs, multiple fuel injectors direct the fuel to the combustor for combustion.
The GTE may commonly include a swirler vane adapted to impart a swirl to compressed air passing through the GTE. The swirler may include a liquid fuel injection spoke. The liquid fuel injection spoke may be joined to, and in fluid communication with, a liquid fuel manifold. As such, the liquid fuel injection spoke may be configured to inject liquid fuel into the compressed air stream flowing past the swirler.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,363 to Joshi et al. ('363 patent) discloses an air fuel mixer having a mixing duct, a set of swirlers, and a means for injecting fuel into the mixing duct. As shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of spokes may be in communication with a fuel manifold such that the spokes may inject fuel into the mixing duct. Relevant to this disclosure, the '363 patent fails to disclose a means of engagement between the plurality of spokes and the fuel manifold.